Hamas-linked payment account shut down
Belgian Member of Parliament Michael Freilich on Sunday publicly commended the decision to shut down an online payment account previously connected to Gaza Now, a news platform and Telegram group tied to Hamas, boasting a membership of over 1.1 million. Earlier, he communicated his concerns to online payment institution Wise – a UK-based foreign exchange financial technology company – and the National Bank of Belgium, urging prompt action against the account.
The group can now fundraise only through the use of Bitcoin. Although Wise’s policies prevent disclosure of specifics about individual cases, Freilich confirmed independently that the account is incapacitated from receiving any further payments.
Furthermore, Gaza Now has subsequently removed these account details from their donation page.
Freilich told The Jerusalem Post Sunday morning that the move “signifies a crucial
step forward in combating the channels that fuel terrorism and propagate hate speech. My investigations confirmed the suspension of the account, striking a significant blow to Hamas’s global fundraising endeavors.” Freilich added that this means any payments in Europe will not be possible now.
Wise underscored in a statement its unwavering dedication to adhering to both their intrinsic policies as well as external legal mandates, particularly those related to anti-terrorist financing.
In an independent online search by the Post, when pressing the “donate to us” button on Gaza Now’s homepage, a link for Paypal is opened, with a warning message that reads: “This organization does not meet the conditions for receiving donations at this stage.” In addition, although Gaza Now’s Facebook page has been shut-down, its X and Telegram accounts are still operating.
After the challenges to donations, Gaza Now pivoted to encouraging Bitcoin donations. In response, Freilich’s
initiative spotlighted the imperative of intelligence sharing. He encouraged the public to “provide any pertinent information to bolster ongoing efforts against such entities. It’s crucial for financial bodies to be acutely aware of their ethical and legal duties in such scenarios,” Freilich added, “Our vigilance against the financial underpinnings of extremist factions remains unwavering.”
Yesterday, Freilich addressed Wise, highlighting concerns about a specific account associated with Gaza Now. He further emphasized that facilitating such transactions breaches Wise’s internal policies and legal obligations, particularly anti-terrorism financing laws. He strongly urged Wise to promptly suspend the account, conduct a thorough investigation, and prevent future misuse.